A volcanic crater in the Indian Ocean that became a graveyard for the forgotten

Countries & Cities · Published 30 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Île Saint-Paul is a tiny, triangular volcanic peak in the southern Indian Ocean. Once a refuge for sealers and explorers, it became the site of a harrowing 1930 tragedy known as the forgotten ones, where a failed cannery venture left workers to perish from starvation and scurvy in total isolation.

Formed by the Amsterdam-Saint Paul hotspot, this 6-square-kilometre island is essentially the top of an active volcano. Its most striking feature is a flooded crater, created when the sea breached the caldera wall in 1780. This interior basin, surrounded by steep walls reaching 270 metres, provides a sheltered, albeit difficult, harbor accessible only to small vessels. The island remains geologically active, featuring thermal springs and a history of eruptions, the last occurring in 1793.

The island’s human history is marked by isolation and survival. First discovered by the Portuguese in 1559, it served as a navigational waypoint for sailing ships and a hunting ground for sealers throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. France formally claimed the territory in 1843, though possession was briefly renounced in 1853. The island has hosted shipwrecked crews, including the future Titanic officer Charles Lightoller in 1889, and scientific missions, such as the 1874 expedition to observe the transit of Venus.

The most tragic chapter began in 1928, when a spiny lobster cannery was established. By March 1930, most staff departed, leaving seven men behind to guard the site. Promised relief failed to arrive until December 1930, by which time five people—including a child—had died of scurvy and malnutrition. Known as Les Oubliés de Saint-Paul, the survivors were only rescued after months of suffering. Today, the island is a protected breeding ground for seabirds, including thousands of rockhopper penguins, following the successful 1997 eradication of invasive black rats.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• Abandoned for fifteen years, shipwrecked survivors built a resilient society on a desert island.
• The Desolation Islands: A remote French archipelago hiding a massive underwater secret
• The world's most remote place, deliberately built
• This tiny volcanic island in the Indian Ocean once heard the loudest sound ever
• The wind-ridden island where a god fell and myths were forged
• How a volcanic island in the Atlantic became a cradle for unique survival strategies
• The first professional football stadium to earn a gold green rating
• Lantau Island: From Ancient Fishing Villages to Hong Kong’s Modern Gateway
• The single island that refuses to be named one way or another
• Langkawi: A Geologic Time Capsule Once Cursed by a Seven-Generation Legend
• Two tiny islets in the Sea of Japan spark a decades-long sovereignty dispute.
• How a 1986 pop hit used puppets to navigate Cold War anxiety

More in Islands · More in Countries & Cities · Latest · A–Z · All topics